A Recognizer is a large hovering vehicle that has a central cockpit supported atop two massive pylon legs. Space inside this module is enough for several occupants, including a single pilot, who stands upright at the control console, and several additional passengers or crew. They emit a unique and ominous sound when in flight, similar to the noise of a helicopter.

Recognizers are demonstrated to operate as pursuit and attack vehicles capable of overtaking Light Tanks. They are also employed in the role of capturing fugitive programs by rotating their legs in together and initiating a 'stomp' maneuver from above. This does not harm the program, but does effect some kind of unexplained capture function.

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Recognizers were originally created by Kevin Flynn in 1981 for his video game Space Paranoids. However, when Ed Dillinger stole Flynn's games, the vehicles became part of the Game Grid and were used by the MCP's army to capture other programs. During his escape from the Game Grid, Flynn came across a destroyed recognizer. With his user powers, Flynn accidentally reactivated the craft, causing it to reassemble, although one of its supports fell off, causing it to have difficulty turning. Flynn commented that the controls were, "just like the old arcade grips". He was able to clumsily pilot the crippled recognizer to a heavily populated part of the system, where he crashed and destroyed it.

Note: The following section contains information that appears in the TRON 2.0 storyline, which has been classed as non-canon with the TRON mythology and takes place in an alternate timeline.

In TRON 2.0, recognizers have fallen out of use as a patrol vehicle, possibly due to ICPs taking over the policing of the system. They are still used, however, but for more utilitarian uses, as seen in game where multiple recognizers are being used as tugs for packet transport.

In TRON 2.0: Killer App (GBA), recognizers are fitted with a cannon, similar to the cannon of a tank. The position of the cannon on the recognizers body is on its shoulder. The recognizer can be flown by just one operator, although most carry two, a driver and radar/radio operator. The total capacity is one driver, one radio operator, and a commander.

The memorable sound of the Recognizers was created by sound designer Frank Serafine by simply modifying the "Helicopter" preset on the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 synthesizer.

The recognizers were designed by Lisberger Studios animator and character designer John Norton. The recognizers are one of the few designs that stayed exactly the same from when Tron was planned to be an animated cartoon film. The simple shapes that made up the recognizer made it easy for MAGI to model the vehicles.

Like tanks, recognizers take on the color of whichever program is piloting them. In the first film, most recognizers are understandably red, since they are manned by Sark's forces within the Game Grid. However when Flynn takes control of a crashed recognizer and returns it to service, it changes to blue.